The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of rituals and hassle-free darshan of the deities who will be dressed in five different attires (beshas) each day during the Panchuka.
As per the rituals, on the first day of Panchuka, the deities are adorned with ‘Laxmi Narayan’ besha.
Meanwhile, heightened security arrangements have been put in place in the vicinity of the Jagannath temple in the pilgrim town.
According to sources, 15 platoons of police force have been deployed in and around the 12th century shrine. Wooden and iron barricades have been constructed by the administration for crowd management in and around the Srimandir.
“Separate special arrangements have been made for the first three days and next for Kartik Purnima. As many as 15 platoons of police force have been deployed in and around the temple,” Additional SP of Puri, Gagarin Mohanty said.
According to sources, special security measures will be undertaken on the ‘Kartik Purnima’ day and an additional 20 platoons of police forces will be deployed in and around the Srimandir and sea beach.
Similarly, devotees were seen making beelines at different Shiva shrines across the State this morning on the auspicious occasion as today is the last Somvar of the holy month of Kartika.
The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the rituals which began at 4 am on Saturday.
As per the schedule, the deities of the temple would be taken out in a traditional Pahandi at around 12:30 pm while the pulling of the chariot is expected to be conducted at 3.30 pm.
Keeping in view large turnout of devotees, Commissionerate police has made elaborate arrangements for security and traffic regulation.
As per tradition, the holy water of Marichi kund was auctioned by the temple authorities on Friday.
The first pot of water sold for Rs 11,150 to a couple,Jitu and Jali Lenka, of Tihidi while the second pot was auctioned to a couple from Bhubaneswar at Rs 5,600.
Childless parents make a beeline at the mystic water source near the temple to obtain pots of water which is auctioned every year.
As per popular belief, women unable to conceive bathe in this water of the well on the auspicious day to conceive.
The once-in-a-five-year meet is China's most important political event. The authorities would not like to risk any event which disrupts the meeting where Chinese President Xi Jinping will get a second five-year term.
China's border police will maintain the highest security on the country's frontiers with North Korea, India and Myanmar as the Communist Party gears up for its all-important Congress, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning said in a report.
"(We will) stick to the highest standards, strictest requirements and strongest measures to ensure absolute border security for the party's 19th national Congress," the report quoted an official statement as saying.
China has a long-running border dispute with India. The two countries have 3,488 km of de facto boundary, most of which is disputed.
Beijing and New Delhi last month ended an over two-month military stand-off in the Sikkim section along the Sino-India border.
China's northeast borders reclusive North Korea. The North Korean nuclear crisis has worried the world, especially its ally China.
Beijing fears an influx of refugees in case of a war between the US and the North.
China would not also want Myanmar's Rohingyas to cross over into Chinese border.
"The border forces under the People's Armed Police became the latest government agency to make a show of support for President Xi Jinping, saying officers would focus on the frontiers to ensure stability for the five-yearly gathering," the newspaper said.
They would also tighten monitoring of coastal areas and ramp up counter-terrorism work, the police were quoted as saying in a statement.
Security personnel have been out in force across the country to make sure the highly choreographed gathering is not disturbed by social unrest.
Taking cognisance of irregularities and incidents of violence in 34 booths during third and fourth phase of polls held on April 23 and April 29 respectively, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had recommended the ECI for repolling.
According to official sources said the repolling is underway at nine booths including five booths in Bari, two in Binjharpur and one each in Sukinda and Dharmasala under the Jajpur parliamentary constituency.
In Cuttack, fresh polling is being held at four booths in Athagarh and one in Badamba. Since 7 am, long queues were seen outside the four polling booths in Mahanga and one in Salepur under Kendrapara parliamentary constituency.
Fresh elections are being held in four booths in Baripada and one in Bangiriposi.
Similarly, re-polling also began in three booths in Puri, two each in Balasore and Dhenkanal and one each in Bhubaneswar, Keonjhar and Jagatsinghpur parliamentary constituency.
“We are satisfied with the overall arrangement made for the re-polling today,” said a voter a polling booth in Kendrapara.
Expressing similar views another voter said, “Our main concern is the voting should be held today without any hassles and untoward incident.”
The re-polling which began at 7 AM and will continue till 6 PM today.
According to detail itinerary, the bathing rituals are likely to take place between 11 and 2 pm. After the conduct of Chhera Panhara by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, the Lords will be dressed up for public darshan in the form of Hati Besha during Sahana Mela.
Sources said, the devotees will have darshan of the deities much closer than before as they will be allowed to pass along the Snana Mandap through Kirtan Chakada and Horse door. After having darshan of the Holy Trinity, devotees can return back through the three main gates.
Senior Daitapati Binayak Das Mohapatra said the Hati Besha of the Lords will be held between 3 to 4 pm.
“I have come to Puri to have darshan of Lord Jagannath on Snana Purnima as it is considered to be very pious,” said a devotee.
Meanwhile, ahead of the bathing rituals of the dieties, the district administration has made elaborate security arrangements headed by IG Central range Soumendra Priyadarshi for the smooth conduct of the holy bath rituals of the three deities of Srimandir.
Around 42 platoons of police force, three commandants, nine ASPs and 16 DSPs, one section of Special Tactical Unit (STU) and 224 officers will be in charge of the security at the Srimandir during the Snana Yatra.
To ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic, the city has been divided into four parking zones near Jagannath Ballav, district school, SCS College.
After reviewing police arrangements for Snana Yatra, Puri SP Umashankar Das said, “As heavy turnout of devotees is expected inside the temple, ticket holders will be allowed to enter through the south gate to witness pahandi darshan of the deities. Besides, special arrangement has been made for Sahana Mela.”
Barricades will also be put up during pahandi so that servitors can enter and conduct the pahandi rituals without any hassles.
CCTV cameras installed inside the temple have been restored. Special provisions have been made for parking of two wheeler vehicles from Town police station to Market Chhak in the city. Similarly, eight places have been identified for parking of light vehicles, the SP added.
India won the toss and elected to bowl in last and decider match of the three-match ODI series against West Indies at Barabati stadium in Cuttack. With dew likely to play its part in the second innings, many fans have pinned hope that India win the series by defeating at Barabati today.
All roads in the millennium city leading to Barabati where Virat Kohli and team will take on the mighty West Indies in the decider were choked since early morning today. The series is currently locked at 1-1 after team India won the second ODI by a huge margin of 107 runs. The first match was won by the Windies by 8 wickets.
A thick blanket of security has been thrown across the Twin city for the smooth conduct of the mega cricketing event. Over 80 platoons of police force will be deployed in and around Barabati stadium and as well as for the security of both the teams.
#BarabatiODI: India to take on West Indies in the One Day Series decider in #Cuttack today; #WATCH cricket fans in action outside the stadium #Odisha pic.twitter.com/3BmqbKaGS1
— OTV (@otvnews) December 22, 2019
Fans rooting for team India outside Barabati Stadium in #Cuttack ahead of the big clash between the Men in Blue & West Indies #BarabatiODI #INDvsWI #Odisha pic.twitter.com/EtA4mrTo8K
— OTV (@otvnews) December 22, 2019
Special traffic arrangements and help desks have been set up by the Commissionerate police so that fans do not face problems in reaching the stadium.